Instrument holder



Aug. 29, 1939.

K. D. KOONS INS TIRUMENT HOLDER Filed June 13, 19 38 [N VENTOR Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES EATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an instrument holder, and more particularly to a holder designed to be attached to a guitar or similar instrument for the purpose of hOldil'lg a harmonica or mouth harp in a convenient position for playing the same.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a practical means of holding a harmonica in convenient playing position, when used in connection with a guitar or similar instrument.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an instrument holder adapted to hold various sizes of harmonicas, and be readily adjustable to each varying size.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an instrument holder having adjustable clamping means thereon so that it may be readily attached to any size or shape of guitar or similar instrument.

The instrument holder shown and described herein has been designed to fill a need for a practical method and means of holding a harmonica in playing position when attached to a guitar or similar instrument, it is adjustable both as to the harmonica being held and as to the guitar it is attached to.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the instrument holder, showing in phantom a harmonica in position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the instrument holder, showing the various adjustment means.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on lines 33 of Figure 1 and shows the contour of the clamp portions of the device.

By referring to the drawing it will be seen that the instrument holder comprises an upright body member I having a clamping member 2 attached to the lower end thereof by means of an adjustable clamp controlling bolt 3 and cam-like lever 4 attached thereto. This cam-like lever 4 comprises a section of material pivoted near its lower end to one end of the clamp controlling bolt 3 in such manner than when moved into vertical position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it compresses a coil spring l8 positioned around the clamp controlling bolt 3 and between the upright body member 1 and the clamping member .2. When this cam-like lever 4 is moved to horizontal position, the said lower end thereof will partially engage an opening in the clamping member 2 in which the clamp controlling bolt 3 is positioned, thus allowing the coil spring IE to expand and move the said clamping member 2 away from the body member I. The cam-like lever 4 is prevented from completely entering the opening in the clamp member 2 by reason of the pivot bolt connecting it to the clamp controlling bolt 3. A coil spring I6 is positioned around the bolt 3 and between the body member I and the clamping member 2 in such manner that tension is exerted and serves to hold the clamping portions of the device in position for attaching the device to a guitar or similar instrument. The bolt 3 is provided with a nut 5 so that adjustment of the clamp may be made to suit various sizes of instruments. In order that the clamp member 2 be movably attached to the upright body member, a tongue 6 formed thereon is adapted to fit into and through a slot 1 in the said upright body member and a pin 8 is provided to keep the tongue in position in the slot I.

Attached to the upper end of the upright body member I and at right angles thereto, there is a rod 9 the extended ends of which are threaded and adapted to receive secondary clamps l0 and two pair of nuts H and 12 adjacent thereto.

In order that these secondary clamps H) may be held in upright position their lower ends are adapted to slidably engage a guide bar l3 which is in turn afiixed preferably by welding to the upright body member at a point just below the threaded rod 9. The upper ends of these secondary clamps Iii are provided with pivot lugs 14 which are adapted to engage the ends of a harmonica and hold the same in a rotatable manner, so that either side may be played upon. In order that the harmonica be held in a firm position, a spring clip I5 is also attached to the upper end of the upright body member I and adapted to engage the harmonica so that it will remain stationary on the pivot lugs 14 until rotated to enable the opposite side to be played upon.

It will be seen that the secondary clamps provide for the easy adjustment of the device to enable it to hold any size of harmonica, and that the design of the clamp arrangement adapted to hold the device upon a guitar or similar instrument will enable it to be readily attached and removed from any size instrument. It is understood that any suitable padding may be employed on these clamps so as not to mar the instrument to which it is attached.

What I claim is:

An instrument holder adapted to be attached to a stringed instrument and comprising an upright body member, a clamping member adjustably attached to the said upright body member near the lower end thereof, so as to form a clamp in conjunction with the lower end of the said upright body member, a rod attached to the upper end of the said upright body member, a guide bar attached to the said upright body member adjacent to and below the said rod, a pair of secondary clamps both adapted to slidably engage both the said rod and the said guide bar, means positioned on the said rod adapted to hold the said secondary clamps in any desired position, pivot lugs affixed to the upper ends oi the said secondary clamps and adapted to engage the sides of a harmonica, together with a spring clip attached to the said body member and adapted to engage the back of a harmonica and hold it in playing position.

2. An instrument holder adapted to be attached to a stringed instrument and comprising an upright body member, a clamping member adjustably attached to the said upright body member near the lower end thereof so as to form a clamp in conjunction with the lower end of the said upright body member, oppositely disposed curved arms formed on the bottom of both the upright body member and the clamping member, a rod attached to the upper end of the said upright body member, the outer ends of the rod being threaded, a guide bar attached to the said upright body member adjacent to and below the said rod, a pair of secondary clamps adapted to be positioned upon the said rod and the said guide bar, means positioned on the said rod adapted to hold the said secondary clamps thereto, pivot lugs affixed to the upper ends of the said secondary clamps so that a harmonica may be held firmly between them, together with a clip formed on the said body member adapted to engage an edge of a harmonica so as to hold it in proper playing position.

3. An instrument holder adapted to be attached to a stringed instrument and comprising an upright body member, a slot in the said upright body member the lower end of the said upright body member being bent outwardly and downwardly and provided with oppositely disposed curved arms, a clamping member comprising a section of material shaped similarly to the bottom of the said upright body member and provided with a tongue adapted to engage the slot in the said upright body member, a bolt positioned in openings in both the upright body member and the said clamp member, a camlike lever pivoted on one end of the said bolt, a coil spring positioned around the said bolt and between the said upright body member and the said clamping member, a nut positioned on the said bolt so as to hold the clamping member to the said upright body member, means provided at the top of the said upright body member for holding a harmonica ,in playing position and comprising a rod and a bar adapted to receive a pair of oppositely disposed secondary clamping arms, pivot lugs affixed to the upper ends of the said clamping arms and adapted to engage the sides of a harmonica, a spring clip attached to the body member and adapted to engage the back of the harmonica so; as to hold it in a suitable playing position.

. 4. An instrument holder adapted to be attached to a stringed instrument and comprising a body member having an adjustable clamp formed at the lower end thereof, means positioned at the upper endof the body member for holding a harmonica, the said means comprising a guide bar and threaded rod and a pair of secondary clamps positioned thereon so as to be movable in relation to the said bar and rod, pivots on the secondary clamps adapted to engage the ends of a harmonica, nuts positioned on thesaid rod adapted to position the said secondary clamps thereon, a spring clip attached to the body member and adapted to engage the back of the harmonica so as tohold it in a suitable playing position substantially as described.

KENNETH D. KOONS. 

